More than 66 million Americans are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, but cases and hospitalizations continue to rise, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned.
As of Friday, more than 112 million people across the United States (or 33.7 percent of the population) have received at least one dose of vaccine, while 66.2 million people (or 19.9 percent) percent of the population) have been completely inoculated, according to CDC data. .
That means “more than a quarter of all adult Americans who are fully vaccinated,” Jeff Zients, the White House’s coronavirus response coordinator, said during a virtual press conference Friday.
But as more and more Americans are punctured, the pandemic still lasts.
The current average of seven new cases increases by about 2 percent from the previous seven-day period, to more than 64,000 per day, said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC, during the briefing.
Approximately 74,860 new coronavirus cases advanced in the United States on Thursday, he added.
COVID-19-related hospital admissions are rising even faster.
The nationwide seven-day hospitalization average rose to about 5,300, a 7 percent increase from the previous seven-day period, according to CDC data.
“On the one hand, we have so many reasons for optimism and hope and more Americans are vaccinated and protected against COVID-19,” Walensky said. “On the other hand, cases and emergency room visits have increased.”
The CDC director has explained that the increase in cases is caused by younger adults, “most of whom have not yet been vaccinated.”
He also added that “the magnitudes of infections have also” increased in some regions of the country, such as in the Upper Midwest.
In states such as Michigan and Minnesota, there have been an increasing number of cases of viruses related to the highly contagious British variant, known as B.1.1.7.
“Both states have concerns about transmission in youth sports, both in club sports and in school-affiliated sports,” Walensky explained.
“What is happening in Minnesota and Michigan is similar to what we are seeing across the country, increasing case reports associated with youth sports.”
But, he added, “I want to be clear as the number of cases in the community increases, hopefully the number of cases identified in schools will also increase. This is not necessarily indicative of school transmission. ”
Meanwhile, on the vaccine front, the United States now makes an average of 3 million vaccines a day, up from 2.9 million last week, Zients said.
A total of more than 28 million vaccines were delivered to states, tribes and territories through federal channels this week alone, he noted.
That’s “more than enough supply to maintain and increase our current seven-day average of three million shots a day,” Zients insisted.
But as a way to combat the unwanted increase in some cases, the federal government will prioritize and increase resources in the affected states.
The feds will work with states “to make sure they are using every dose they have received,” Zients said.
“Millions of doses have been distributed today, but they have not yet been administered as shots in the arms.”
In addition, the feds will “increase” staff, including CDC response teams, to those states “to support vaccination efforts and get more shots in the arms,” increase testing capacity, and offer more “therapies and treatments.” “, the White House coronavirus response coordinator said.
“We are working to leave this pandemic behind as soon as possible,” Zients said. “We all have to stay on guard and finish this job.”
COVID-19-related deaths in the U.S. continue to decline, with a current seven-day average of 711, according to CDC data.